


turn our futures upside down

by theriveroflight



Category: RWBY
Genre: Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Asexual Ruby Rose (RWBY), Family Feels, Gen, Meet the Family, Nonbinary Blake Belladonna, POV Outsider, Platonic Relationships, Polyamory
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-27
Updated: 2020-07-27
Packaged: 2021-03-05 20:21:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,740
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25541239
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theriveroflight/pseuds/theriveroflight
Summary: Five times they had a scheduled meeting with family, and one spontaneous one.
Relationships: Blake Belladonna/Weiss Schnee/Yang Xiao Long, Everyone & Everyone, Ghira Belladonna/Kali Belladonna, Oscar Pine/Whitley Schnee, Qrow Branwen/Clover Ebi, Raven Branwen/Summer Rose/Taiyang Xiao Long, Robyn Hill/Winter Schnee, Ruby Rose & Weiss Schnee
Comments: 9
Kudos: 61





	turn our futures upside down

**Author's Note:**

> Extremely late for Bee's Schnees week Day 3: meet the family. I'm tired and am trying to post this before the week ends in my time zone
> 
> Blake is a demigirl and more often uses they/them in the fic but can still vibe with she/her pronouns and is okay with being referred to as a girlfriend.
> 
> Ruby is aroace and in a QPR with Weiss.
> 
> This takes place in an alternate universe of some nature? I don't really know or care. It's either a modern au or the au I tagged (everybody lives/nobody dies).
> 
> Title modified slightly from "House of Gold" by twenty one pilots.

i. Ruby

Ruby Rose is excited! Her sister, her partner, and her friend were all together! And as a sister and partner, it's _her_ job to make sure that none of them hurt each other. It would be her job to pick up the pieces, and she doesn't want to have to choose between Yang and Weiss. It might be expected that she choose Weiss, because they call each other partners, but they aren't partners _that_ way. Ruby isn't into romance. So, being that they're just platonic, Weiss _might_ not be the priority.

But Ruby doesn't want to have to make that choice. They _won't_ hurt each other. She just has to make sure of that. And that's what this little lunch is for.

"Ruby, what is this for?" Blake asks. "We all know you."

She shrugs. "Is it so wrong for me to want lunch with three of my friends?" Friends doesn't quite cover it, but it's close and still encompasses Blake. "I mean, you're all dating now! That's great!"

"Ruby, I know we already talked about this," Weiss begins, looking just at her, "but do you feel…left behind?"

"What? Of course not! We talked about it already - I get that you're not _like_ me and that romantic relationships should take priority--"

"Ruby." Weiss places her hands on Ruby's shoulders. She giggles nervously. "You're my partner. I might be in a romantic relationship, but you'll always be my partner."

"Always?" She looks up at Weiss, pleading and hopeful.

"Of course."

"Ten." Ruby smiles.

"Twenty," Weiss answers. The two sit back down.

The rest of the lunch goes swimmingly. Ruby threatens them just a little. She might be the younger sibling, but Blake looks vaguely scared of her and their reaction is the icing on the cake.

* * *

ii. Qrow

Qrow Branwen cannot believe that he's going on a double date with his _niece_ and her new…girlfriend(s? Is Blake okay with being referred to as a girlfriend?)

(He can't believe that he's lucky enough to be with Clover, either.)

"Hey," Clover says. "You ready for tonight?"

"Of course I am, charm," he answers, kissing his boyfriend's cheek. "I can't believe we're all here, though."

Clover pinches him. "Believe it."

Qrow lightly swats at him. "Ow."

"I'm serious, Qrow. You should." 

Clover always looks breathtaking, in Qrow's opinion, but right now, with the light reflecting in his eyes and that _outfit_ on, Qrow can't help but want to keep a reminder - a mark forever.

And then he remembers who else is going to be there, and knows he won't have to worry about losing the memories. Yang's always liked taking pictures, and Weiss seems to be afraid of losing anything. Blake is the only other camera-shy one of the group.

The restaurant was recommended by Weiss. It's less prissy than Qrow expected. Clover was the one who put in the reservation, though.

And the two of them are there before the triad. They order drinks (water for both) and hold off on food.

Yang, Weiss, and Blake look _surprisingly_ coordinated, considering that the three of them have very different senses of fashion. Weiss is still the only one in a skirt, but they all look like they're together.

Blake pulls out chairs for their girlfriends (there) and they all take a look at the menu. Qrow doesn't understand how anyone eats any of these dishes.

"Do you just want to share a dish?" Clover asks, saving him from having to decide. "I'm not very hungry, and that way we can have room for dessert."

"Sounds good. You decide? I don't really know what to pick. But I trust you."

It's about more than just the food at this point.

"Alright," Clover answers.

"You're making a mistake, Uncle Qrow," Yang says. "I would not trust anyone else to order my food."

He looks over at Clover. Qrow knows that Yang is just joking around, but they're meeting each other for the first time. They don't really know each other, and he really wants them to like each other.

Weiss waves the waiter over. They place their orders. Qrow doesn't get a second chance to look at the menu for what Clover ordered for them, but he trusts Clover. And he hopes that Clover doesn't have terrible taste in food.

The rest of the dinner goes swimmingly. Clover gets along well, and Qrow gets to tease the three of them over how long it took for them to get together.

At the end of the night, when they're all about to part ways, Yang hugs Qrow.

"Thank you."

"...I don't know what I did, but you're welcome."

Yang backs off and returns to the side of her significant others.

* * *

iii. Winter

Winter Schnee hasn't been close to her sister in a long time. Not since she joined the military and left her family behind. She has a bit of contact with her father, but that's an unfortunate happenstance more than anything else.

So when Weiss texts her a simple "Hello.", Winter isn't quite sure what to make of it. She hopes that Weiss has finally found her way out, but it could be a trap to lure her back in. She asks Weiss where she got the number.

Weiss answers that she got it from Qrow, who got it from Clover.

How the _hell_ do Qrow and Clover know each other?

While Winter contemplates that, another text comes in.

"I wanted to tell you that I got out and I have a better family now. And also two significant others."

Winter blinks, and sends back a reply.

"Could I meet them?"

***

She calls Robyn for moral support. And due to the fact that she won't meet Weiss and her significant others without someone to come along.

They still aren't dating, though. Not officially. (Not yet.)

The autumn day is cool and crisp. The grass in the park still hasn't begun to wilt yet, but fallen leaves cover all the grass to the sides of the various gravel paths.

What a strange couple they must seem to outsiders. Winter has always dressed in whites and blues and greys - colors that go with her name, colors that are crisp and clean. Meanwhile, Robyn's outfits are warmer, green and brown and a little bit of charcoal but mostly an outfit that's reminiscent of the forest.

"Winter!" Weiss's voice tears through the air. She turns around to see Weiss, a Faunus, and a blonde. Weiss runs towards her and hugs her. "I missed you so much."

Winter is a little startled, but hugs Weiss back. "I'm glad you got out."

They break apart.

"I'm Blake, they/them or she/her," the Faunus says, introducing themself.

"Yang, she/her," the blonde pipes up, doing a little wave.

"I'm Winter. She and her." Winter's unfamiliar with introducing herself with her pronouns, but she's going along with the conventions of the conversation.

"Robyn. We've met," Robyn comments, directed towards Yang and Blake. "I remember you two specifically."

"Right," Blake answers. "You two are a thing?"

Winter looks towards Robyn. "Maybe," Robyn answers.

"Thank you for helping me," Weiss says to Winter. "I don't think I would have ever realized what had been done to me if it hadn't been for that."

They both know what Weiss is referring to. She isn't proud of that incident, but afterwards Weiss started wearing her ponytail asymmetrically and Winter knew that she had succeeded in what she did.

"The only repayment I need is to know that you're doing well. And it certainly looks like you are doing much better."

Weiss smiles. "I guess none of us are straight after all."

"Whitley?" She doesn't realize that she spoke aloud at first.

"I…have some good sources."

* * *

iv. Summer/Raven/Tai

Raven knows that Yang takes after her in more ways than one. But Raven didn't think that Yang would inherit _that._ So when Yang mentions she'll be bringing her girlfriends to family dinner, all of them are a little startled.

Raven remembers when Ruby brought her friend back because "Weiss hasn't experienced a family dinner!"

And it was Weiss Schnee, of all people. None of them have ever been fans of the Schnees - Qrow's gotten into more than one fight with the eldest Schnee sibling, and they all don't like the Schnee company's monopoly.

Raven doesn't know what to expect at the next family dinner, but a little shakeup is never bad.

"Rae," Summer asks, "how much time is left on the timer?"

Raven glances towards the timer, and then back at Summer. "Around four minutes at this point."

Summer curses. The doorbell rings. "Tai, get the door!" Raven calls, because it isn't worth getting up.

Tai shuffles towards the door. She cranes her neck to see. It's just Ruby. They're expecting a few more people than normal - it's typically just the three of them, their daughters, and her brother.

But Yang is bringing around both of her girlfriends, and Qrow is bringing Clover again (she hopes that they don't make a habit out of showing up together - Clover is the antithesis of everything the Branwens stand for. Not that a little rebellion is bad, but really, Qrow, does he have to do it with a military officer?)

"Hey, little gem," Tai says as Ruby enters, unlacing her boots at the front. "Why isn't Yang with you?"

"The three of them want to…" Ruby's nose wrinkles, "...go home together after dinner."

"Ruby, feel free to come in," Summer calls. Summer's voice floats across the room, and Raven remembers why exactly she bothered to fall in love in the first place. "Raven, get your feet off the table -- I know they're there."

"I hope you know that I am rolling my eyes as I take my feet off the table, Summer," Raven drawls.

"As long as they aren't on the table, twitter all you want," Summer answers as the timer beeps.

Another ring of the doorbell. "I'll get it," Raven says, her chair squeaking on the floor as she stands up.

She opens the door to find Yang, Weiss Schnee, and a person she's unfamiliar with wearing a "they/them" pronoun pin on their white jacket.

"Come in," Raven says. "So, Weiss, what exactly _is_ going on?" She directs it at Weiss specifically because Ruby calls them partners despite the fact that Ruby is aromantic and asexual and she doesn't...quite understand.

"Ruby and I are _specifically_ queerplatonic partners. Yang, Blake, and I are in a romantic relationship. I would think that you and Yang's other parents would get it more than anyone else."

"I know about loving more than one person. I wasn't aware." It's the closest Raven will come to apologizing. "Sit down, a timer went off just before you arrived meaning that dinner is probably done."

Blake and Yang are already at the table. Tai and Yang are mostly dominating the conversation, but Blake is smiling at Yang and she thinks perhaps their silence is intentional. Ruby starts a conversation with Weiss as soon as she sits down between her and Blake.

Summer sets down a casserole dish filled with baked ziti. A knock on the door silences the people talking.

"Fuck you, we're not getting the door for you, Qrow!" Raven calls. She's not happy at the interruption, but the two empty chairs might make a small impact on the dinner table flow.

"Raven!" Summer hisses.

The sound of the door opening and then shutting is buried underneath the return of conversation.

"Thanks a lot, Raven," Qrow grumbles as he and Clover enter and sit down.

She continues to eat her piece of garlic bread, ignoring him.

"We apologize, Clover," Tai says.

"Don't worry about it. You shouldn't have to apologize for the people you love." Clover's looking over at Qrow, who whistles innocuously in response. "From what I've heard, that's pretty typical of them." She glares at the fact that they're ignoring that she's in the room.

Qrow sits next to Summer so that she's between the two of them. The dinner doesn't remain tense, though, as they all enjoy Summer's cooking and the company. The food slowly disappears, but the high spirits don't diminish as they start a series of card games.

This is Raven's family. And she's learned that it's more important than she could have imagined before.

* * *

v. Ghira/Kali

Ghira insists on meeting them. Kali understands - but they live so far away, she doesn't want to impose on Blake. Her child is an adult, she understands if Blake isn't willing to make the trip and just call.

They end up compromising on a video call.

When Blake picks up, they're sitting in the middle of what Kali assumes is a couch.

"You're dating _a Schnee?!"_ Ghira exclaims as the video shows.

"The Schnee can hear and speak, thank you very much. My name is Weiss, and while I cannot apologize for the attitudes of my father I can say that I have not possessed them since I was a naive child."

Kali isn't particularly inclined to trust, but she trusts Blake and their ability to make good decisions. Sometimes. (Kali still remembers Adam and his good-for-nothing…)

"Ghira, I'm sure she's a fine person. People aren't just their family name."

Ghira takes a deep breath.

"My name is Yang Xiao Long," the blonde on Blake's right says. "She/her, it's very nice to meet you."

Blake ducks her head a bit.

"I'm Weiss."

"I apologize," Ghira grinds out. "I should not have made assumptions."

"He gets a little protective," Kali jokes. It doesn't land. "I'm glad Blake has you both."

"We're coming for the winter holidays. Hopefully." Blake looks a little shocked at herself for admitting it, but they look happy. "Yang's family is closer and they hold weekly dinners. And Weiss is basically disowned, so we'll be taking a bit of a trip."

"I'm glad you'll be coming," Ghira says. "I can't wait to see you in person."

Kali agrees.

* * *

+i. Whitley

He's desperate when he turns up on what he thinks is Weiss's doorstep. A girl in pajamas that is _not_ Weiss answers the door.

"You're...Weiss's brother. I'll give you the address of where she's staying, but you should call her first - she's with her girlfriends tonight, and I know what that means."

Oh. Okay. He can...roll with the fact that he isn't the only gay Schnee. Okay.

"Um. I kind of don't have my Scroll," he admits. "I didn't get a whole lot of time to pack."

"Okay. Use mine." The woman turns around and starts to retreat to grab it. "Come in - don't want to let too much of the cold in."

Whitley steps inside. "What's your name?"

"Ruby Rose, at your service!" Ruby heads into a door that he assumes is her bedroom when she comes out, dial tone coming out of her phone. "Weiss? Yeah, I know, you're tired and you're leaving for Menagerie in the morning - I wouldn't have called if it wasn't urgent. Your brother turned up. He wants to talk."

Weiss scoffs. "Tell him to go away and if Father wants me he can talk to me himself." The voice is garbled slightly over the speakerphone, but it's still understandable.

"I got kicked out when he found out about my secret boyfriend," he says. "So it's safe to say I'm not here for him."

"Why didn't you ask your boyfriend?"

"He's in Mistral right now with his aunt. I don't want to burden him. And I have no idea where I would find Winter, and the airship took me to Vale so I decided to find you."

"Blake, Yang, and I are leaving tomorrow and we're staying with Blake's parents for the winter holidays. Are you okay with staying with Ruby? I can also call Winter."

"I'll stay with Ruby, I guess. For now. At least for tonight."

"Okay. I swear you can trust her. I'm not roommates with just anyone."

"Weiss, it'll be okay. And I'm sorry that I treated you like shit all these years."

"I'm sorry too," Weiss answers. "Good night."

"Is that your brother?" he hears someone say/yawn, and then the phone beeps.

"The guest room is next to mine, the bathroom is across the hall from you. Sleep well," Ruby tells him. "And you can talk more in the morning."

"Yeah."

Whitley feels…hopeful for the future now.

**Author's Note:**

> All mistakes are mine - I wrote almost all of this on my phone.
> 
> Follow me elsewhere online, if you want:  
> alto-tenure - main Tumblr  
> the-river-of-light - visual art Tumblr  
> beunforgotten - writing Tumblr  
> riverofliight - Twitter


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